Liam Fox insists we cannot abandon Afghanistan

The defence secretary says that to leave early would be to betray the sacrifices of our fallen soldi

Defence secretary Liam Fox has said that there can be no thought of British troops leaving Afghanistan "before the job is finished". He went on to say that an early withdrawal would be a betrayal of the sacrifices of British soldiers who have given their lives in the conflict.

His remarks, made as part of a speech to the Heritage Foundation in Washington, form a marked contrast with David Cameron's pledge just days ago that all British troops would be withdrawn by 2015.

He also warned that an early withdrawal could result in an increased threat of global terrorism, saying that to bring the troops home too soon would "send the signal that we did not have the moral resolve and political fortitude to see through what we ourselves have described as a national security imperative."